Factionless Bound
by Fitzzy
Summary: Society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to their own set of values and principles. At 16 everyone must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Matthew the decision is between his family and being where he truly belongs. One choice can define you. One choice can transform you. One choice can destroy you. (prucan. M for violence)
1. Chapter 1: Abnegation

**A/N!  
**So, uh. Hello. This is my first post here! It's not the first fic I've written, but it's the first I've decided to upload. Introductions are in order, yes? Right, well. Hello, nice to meet you!

I just wrote this for fun so it's not super good. It takes a while for things to progress and some of the characters are super ooc. I'm sorry. u n u

There will be various other pairings mentioned (or at least hinted about). I've already got like, 4 chapters written. The next ones are _really_ (and I stress_ really_) long. Should I break them up or leave them long? Let me know what you think.

Also, do people like author's notes at the end or at the beginning? Let me know that too!

Without further ado, here you go!

* * *

Matthew let out a soft sigh, weaving his way carefully down the cracked and broken street of his faction. The Abnegation who were selfless were supposed to care more for others than themselves. As such they had put all their resources into fixing the roads starting at the centre of the city and working out. They had run out of materials before they could reach their own faction. The streets were too damaged to drive on, but that was fine with them because not many of the Abnegation families had cars anyway. So Matthew chose his footing carefully, balancing the bag of clothing in his hands so he didn't drop it.

He only stopped when he was close to his usual bus stop, then he turned down a separate street heading farther from the centre of the city towards the dingy broken areas, casting one longing glance back in the direction of his home.

Matthew thought he was good for Abnegation, being selfless and putting others before himself. He didn't always have the want or need to help others, it was more of a second nature to him now, something he had been conditioned to do. Regardless, handing out food and clothing to the factionless was one of his least favourite chores. He did it though, with no complaints or whining. But usually never alone. His mother had always come with him or had a group do deliveries, and they'd just drop things off and be on their way. But today his father had instructed Matthew to go alone, to get used to how things would be after the choosing ceremony, after he chose Abnegation.

An unpleasant feeling welled up inside Matthew when he thought of his father's words. "After you chose Abnegation, you'll be making the trip without your mother more often than with. You should get used to it before then." The problem wasn't just facing the factionless alone, he figured he could hold his own against someone (and if not, he was a pretty fast runner, he comforted himself). No, the problem was that Matthew didn't know if Abnegation was right for him. He longed to enjoy the things the other factions had but that, Matthew knew from the Abnegation teachings, was him being selfish.

Matthew looked around at the surrounding buildings and took a deep breath. There were a few factionless people wandering about and after a moment, a woman he recognized from helping out his mother before came striding slowly over to him. He smiled softly at her and adjusted the bag to free one arm so he could wave. She didn't wave back but inclined her head towards him.

"Good evening," Matthew said when she stood closer to him. She didn't respond so he offered the bag to her, "I brought some clothing for, uh... Well, whoever."

She slowly took the bag from him and set it down before fixing her eyes on him and giving him a once over. "Ain't the Choosin' Ceremony comin' up soon?" She inquired.

Matthew felt the same dread welling up inside him at the mere mention of it, his smile dropped and he nodded his head.

She gave him a small smirk and raised an eyebrow, "what? Not excited? Are you gonna switch factions, Stiff?"

Stiff was a nickname given to the Abnegation from Candor (the honest) and Matthew found it a bit rude. "I don't know." He said lamely.

"Oooh, well ya better make up your mind soon. Thanks for the clothes, Stiff." With that she turned on her heel and leisurely strolled away.

Matthew all but ran back towards his faction's area, wanting nothing more than to go home and talk to his older brother. Alfred had been born in January and 10 months later, Matthew. They were in the same year at school and were both going to have to pick what faction they belonged in. Matthew had spent many evenings in Alfred's room discussing this with him. Alfred didn't want them to be separated and neither did Matthew. They had agreed to choose the same faction no matter what. Whether it be Abnegation or not, they would stick together. The topic of leaving home had always been sensitive, neither of them wanted to think of or discuss what their parents might say if they heard they were considering leaving.

Matthew dreaded thinking about it because at the ceremony, they put everyone in alphabetical order and then went reverse. That meant Matthew would pick before Alfred, who had sworn no matter what his aptitude results were, he was going to pick whatever Matthew picked.

Matthew heaved another sigh as he turned onto his street, his home coming into view. Tomorrow they would take an aptitude test which would tell them which faction they suited the most. And the next day would be the Choosing Ceremony. The day where he had to pick whether he and his brother stayed in Abnegation with their parents or left. He had to pick the fate of not just himself, but his brother as well.

* * *

**A/N**

woof, reading over what I wrote months ago is horrible. I'm nervous/embarrassed to upload it. I just want to rewrite all of it. I might later on but for now screw it.

Just so you all know (and it's not a spoiler) Matthew isn't divergent.

Should I bother uploading the rest? It follows the same type of timeline (I guess you could say) as the novel, but it gets different (and better!) after Matthew goes into initiation.

Also, I don't mind if people critique my writing (hell, I'd love some advice!) but please be nice about it, okay? There's no need to be a bumhole. I'm a sensitive mushroom fairy who cries easily so be gentle please!

Okay, end rant. I'll see you next time. Goodnight!


	2. Chapter 2: Aptitude Test

Hello again, friends. I'm back with chapter two. This one is pretty long. Since no one told me if they liked long or short chapters I left it long. There's another A/N at the bottom.

I forgot last chapter but I remembered this time! Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia or the Divergent Trilogy.

Please enjoy!

* * *

Matthew watched as his mother trimmed Alfred's hair. His brother sat on a stool in front of the only mirror in their home. It was usually covered by a painting and they only ever looked in it when they had their haircut. Matthew leaned against the door frame watching quietly.

It was a general style for the Abnegation women to have longer hair that they twisted up into a bun or a braid, while the men had their's cut short and the sides shaved to a respectable length. Nothing that would draw attention to them or anything to accentuate their looks. This year however, their mother had let the boys keep their hair however they wanted it, so long as it was brushed and presentable. Alfred's hair was a bit shaggy, at the length where it had a mind of it's own. One particular piece in the front stuck up in the most stubborn cow-lick. Matthew's own hair was longer then Alfred's, coming down to his jaw. He had been surprised to find out that when it grew out his hair was actually curly. His face was now framed in soft curls that, as his mother said, made him look like an angel.

Matthew watched little snippets of blond hair fall to the ground. Everyone in his family was blond. Alfred and his father had a golden wheat colour while his mother had light hair. His own a mix between the two; a golden honey colour.

Alfred's eyes drifted away from his reflection in the mirror over to where Matthew stood. Matthew watched his older brother regard him for a few seconds before twisting his regularly handsome face into a hilariously unflattering one. Keeping it in place until Matthew started to laugh.

"Alfred, stop making faces at your brother and sit still please. I don't want to trim it uneven." Their mother said sternly, though they could hear the smile and playful edge to her words. "Matthew, why don't you go have some early breakfast? You barely ate last night."

Matthew shook his head, "No thanks, I'm not hungry." His Mom stopped cutting Alfred's hair and set her hand on his shoulder, looking seriously over at Matthew's reflection.

"My stomach hurts." He explained, placing his hand over his stomach for added affect. His mother's gazed softened and she smiled warmly at him before returning to Alfred's hair.

"Are you nervous, honey?"

"A bit." His voice came out softer than he had meant for it to.

* * *

Matthew and Alfred walked side by side down to the the bus stop. Alfred was humming a simple tune like he always did and Matthew found a bit of comfort in the routine. He felt better knowing that Alfred was his usual self and didn't seem nervous at all. Alfred continued humming until the bus came into sight then he stopped abruptly. Abnegation were supposed to be seen as serious.

Once the bus stopped the two climbed on board, Alfred first with Matthew at his heels. There was one seat left and Alfred didn't hesitate to gesture for Matthew to take it. He stood right in front of Matthew's seat and held the safety bar for balance.

Matthew looked up at Alfred, envious of his brother's stature. At 16 Alfred had already grown to being just a few inches shy of their father, while Matthew was just a touch above his brother's shoulders in height. Their mother often joked that Alfred had hit all his growth spurts and some of Matthew's too. Alfred had been blessed with natural muscle tone as well. Matthew seemed quite the opposite, he was thin and slender. Where Alfred had muscle definition, Matthew had soft skin that was drastically pale in comparison to his brother's natural tan. Alfred was just like their father. These things were just natural for them. And Matthew was envious.

He had wanted to gain muscle but running and exercising for one's personal pleasure or aesthetic reasons wasn't allowed in Abnegation, so Matthew had settled with himself. His appearance wasn't something he could change so he dealt with the times in which he had been called girly or feminine with practised patience. One particularly embarrassing time, Matthew recalled from memory, his old Faction History teacher had called him "little girl". It had been an honest mistake and a slip of the tongue, but Matthew had sat there red faced while the rest of the class, save for the other Abnegation students, had laughed loudly.

Pulled from his thoughts as the bus came to a stop, Matthew climbed off after Alfred. They entered the school together and moved around to Alfred's locker.

They kept all their things together in one locker, to save space for others who might need it more. Once they gathered the necessary books Alfred turned to smile at Matthew.

"So I guess I'll see you in the cafeteria then?" He asked, his eyes watching the window on the other side of the hall.

Matthew nodded. "Yeah. I'll see you there later. Have a good day, Alfred."

Alfred gave Matthew a quick grin and said, "See ya later, little brother!" Before he quickly waltzed away from Matthew, towards the window.

Matthew watched his brother stare out the window for a moment before heading to his Math class, wondering why Alfred enjoyed watching the Dauntless students jump off the train so much. It seemed scarily unnecessary that the Dauntless' main mode of transportation was jumping on and off moving trains. But every faction was different. Different styles, different lives, different values.

Matthew slipped into his class unnoticed and took his seat beside an Erudite boy who always made Matthew feel intellectually inferior, though he never mentioned it just to avoid conflict. Matthew glanced around at the faces of the students already in the room. He wouldn't see much more of them. Classes today were all cut in half and the aptitude tests began at lunch in the cafeteria.

Matthew's fingers ran over the hem of his gray jacket sleeves, which were just a bit too long for him. Though so were the pants, hand-me-downs from Alfred.

The cafeteria was packed with chattering 16 year old's and Matthew let his eyes drift to the sea of colour blocks, invisible barriers keeping each one in section. The Dauntless, loud and full of shouting voices, were dressed in black near the back of the room. Occasional glints from their jewellery caught Matthew's attention. The Candor, off to the side, in black slacks with white shirts, were debating something as always. Matthew figured it was friendly based on the smiling, laughing faces. The Erudite, sitting opposite them, were wearing blue sweaters and shirts and talking about things Matthew didn't know about using words Matthew didn't understand. The Amity were sitting close by, a small pattern of red and yellow. The boys all chatting happily while the girls sat together singing a song with rhyming words. The Amity always seemed so happy and relaxed.

And then there were the Abnegation, where Matthew sat. A bland spot of gray completely quiet, minus the occasional whisper from Alfred.

Matthew watched as two more students were called from each faction, into the test rooms. He glanced over at Alfred who smiled at him.

Matthew smiled back, though it felt forced. He wondered what faction Alfred would be best suited for. Alfred would probably get and stay in Abnegation, if that's what Matthew picked. Alfred had always claimed that he was the Abnegation 'hero' and that where ever help was needed, he would be there. Ready to act selflessly and protect others. Alfred was practically fearless.

Matthew wondered where he belonged. Dauntless, the brave? No, he wasn't very brave at all. Erudite, the intelligent? Based on his science lesson score, that was a big N-O. Candor, the honest? Maybe, he reasoned. Part of being selfless consisted of being honest with people and he had always tried to tell the truth. Though he could recall instances where he had lied to his parents or teachers. Amity, the peaceful? Matthew thought he could belong there, they were nice and calm and always happy. Or finally Abnegation, the selfless? The faction that his parents reside in. He didn't know if he could just leave them. He could be selfless, care more for others than himself.

Before he knew it they were calling more names for the aptitude tests and Matthew held his breath, knowing he was going to be chosen next.

He and Alfred were the only ones who hadn't been called yet. Dauntless, Erudite, Candor, and then Amity.

"And from Abnegation: Alfred Jones and Matthew Jones." They looked at one another before standing and walking toward the hall. They usually didn't call siblings at the same time, but they would be in separate rooms so Matthew figured it didn't matter anyway.

Matthew took a deep breath as he stood in front of room #7, watching as Alfred casually strolled into room #8. The only two rooms without Abnegation volunteers running the test. It was a rule that they could not be tested by someone within the same faction as them.

Matthew felt the nervous queasiness building in his stomach again. They had been told there was no way they could study or prepare for the test. Some Dauntless students had said that it was a physical test, that they inject you with a serum that causes pain to see how high your tolerance is. Or that you have to answer personal questions- embarrassing ones- under truth serum. Matthew didn't believe they were telling the truth, but the feeling in his stomach got worse as he thought about it.

He stood with his hand hovering over the door handle until the door flew open and a Dauntless women almost walked into him.

"Oh!" She exclaimed in surprise, taking a step back. "Are you Matthew Jones?"

Matthew opened him mouth to confirm but all that came out was a small, "Uh-huh." And a head nod.

She grinned at him and stepped aside, "Well come on in. I was just on my way to see where you were. Have you been standing out there the whole time?"

Matthew felt his cheeks warming up and he nodded again, stepping into the room.

The woman walked over to where a chair, much like the one Matthew had seen in the dentist's office, sat. Beside it was a machine Matthew didn't recognize. It looked dangerous. A plain chair sat close to the machine. The walls of the room were covered in mirror panels. He could see his reflection everywhere he looked. And it made him a bit uncomfortable.

Finally his eyes settled on the woman again. She was from Dauntless, that much was obvious. She wore tight black pants and a white blouse, with a black blazer on top. Her shoes were shiny and black, with a heel that Matthew figured if used right could kill a man. She had a dark red flower pinned in her hair, holding her brown bangs out of her face. The rest of her hair fell in long curls down her back. Matthew realized that much to his embarrassment, she had been watching him the entire time, an amused smile on her face.

With his attention back on her she cleared her throat a bit and said, "My name is Elizabeta but you can call me Liz and I'll be doing your test today, okay?"

"Uh, okay." Matthew swallowed thickly, wondering why he was so nervous about the test. "My name's Matthew." He added before realizing that she already knew his name. He felt the blood rushing to his cheeks again and looked away.

Liz laughed softly but didn't mention his mistake, instead she gestured to the dentist like chair. "Take a seat and get comfortable, Matthew."

Matthew slid onto the chair and let his head fall against the headrest for just a moment before straightening up again and looking over at Liz, who had just sat down. "It's not going to hurt is it?"

"What? Of course not! Don't worry. It doesn't hurt a bit." The smile on her face never faded as she waited for Matthew to recline again. When he did she put an electrode on his forehead. "Are you nervous?"

"Yeah." He watched her stick an electrode to her own forehead.

"Why are you so nervous?" Another electrode near his temple.

"I..." Matthew hesitated a moment, all his worry was because he was scared his results would be something completely different than Alfred and their parents and they would be split up. What if he chose the wrong faction? What if Alfred hated him for it? What if their parents hated him if he left? "I don't know."

"Just relax, this is simple and shouldn't take too long." She began fixing wires between her and Matthew and their electrodes and then from her to the machine.

"You have pretty long hair for an Abnegation boy." Liz commented.

"Oh. My Mom decided to let me and my brother wear our hair however we want this year." Matthew adjusted himself on the chair, sitting up a bit. Glancing over at Liz, who was pressing some buttons on the machine. She turned back and smiled at him.

"Smart lady. Alright, all set up. Are you ready, Matthew?" Liz picked up a small vial that had a clear liquid in it, Matthew would have thought it was water but it looked a bit thicker.

She handed him the vial and sat back. "Drink this when you're ready to start."

Matthew took one final deep breath to steady himself and calm his nerves before he put the vial to his lips and tipped back the contents, swallowing it all with one gulp. He closed his eyes and felt Liz take the vial from him. When he opened his eyes he was no longer sitting in the dentist like chair, but standing alone in the dimly lit cafeteria.

Sitting in front of Matthew were two baskets. One had a block of cheese in it, the other a knife.

"Choose one." A deep male voice echoed through the room. Matthew glanced around, looking for the source of the voice, but he was completely alone. He took a step towards the baskets and glanced between the two, weighing the options.

A knife could pose extremely useful in many scenarios, but it also seemed to suggest some type of violence that Matthew was uncomfortable with. The cheese, while providing food, suggested something Matthew thought was peaceful.

Reaching out Matthew grabbed the basket with the cheese block in it. The world around him warped and he was suddenly standing with a man who looked unbelievably angry, another man not far from them stood with his back turned.

The angry man turned to Matthew and glared at him, "What do you have in that basket? Do you have a knife? Give it to me!"

Matthew felt his stomach churn with panic, he had a weird sense that told him he did have a knife in his basket, hidden near the bottom. He glanced down to see if the cheese was still there and was surprised to see it was gone and a checkered blanket was covering the other contents now. The blanket bulged in places and Matthew could see the corner of a book peeking out. A pang of curiosity hit him, but he ignored it in favour of figuring out what was going on.

"Answer me!" The man yelled, "Give me the knife!"

Matthew looked back at the man with his back turned and then at the angry man again, his mind was reeling, trying to make sense of the situation. "Are you going to hurt that man over there?" he asked, sparing another glance at the not angry man.

"I'm gonna kill him. He ruined my life!" The angry man took a step towards Matthew, who felt the sudden need to deceive the angry man and keep everyone safe.

"I don't have a knife! I don't- really!" Matthew squawked out taking a step back. "I don't have any weapons, just a blanket!"

The angry man narrowed his eyes at Matthew and sneered at him, "So you're on his side, that what you're sayin'?"

Matthew shook his head and held his hands up in front of him, the basket hanging by it's handle in the crook of his elbow. "I'm not on anyone's side. I just don't have a knife." Matthew hesitated then added, "And even if I did I wouldn't give it to you. Violence doesn't solve anything."

The man seemed to calm down a bit, he nodded his head and rubbed his scruffy face. "I guess you're right."

Matthew felt himself relax, with the man no longer angry it was as though someone had lifted a weight off his shoulders. He blinked his eyes and when they opened again, he was sitting in the dentist like chair with Liz at his side, looking at the machine.

Finally Liz turned to him and smiled, "How do you feel?" she asked.

Matthew shrugged, his body felt a bit sluggish, like he was coming out of sleep, but his heart was racing. "Okay, I guess."

Liz nodded and pulled the electrodes off her face, then started on Matthew's. "Would you like to hear the results of your aptitude test now?"

"Okay," Matthew said, wiping his sweaty palms off on his pants.

"Alright," Liz leaned back in her chair and glanced at the machine before looking back at Matthew. "By not choosing the knife in the first simulation you ruled out Dauntless. You put a bit of thought into the baskets rather than just grabbing one, which could suggest Erudite. So I threw a book in your basket in the second simulation and even though you were curious, you didn't touch it. That ruled out Erudite. By not offering to help either man, or offering yourself to save the other man, and to a lesser degree; lying, you ruled out Abnegation. And finally by lying to the man, you ruled out Candor." Liz took a deep breath and let it out before smiling brightly again, "You didn't take the knife because you associated it with violence and you were willing to lie to the man to keep the peace between everyone and because of that you have a high aptitude for Amity. That is the faction that best suits you."

Matthew sat there quietly for a moment, letting the information sink in. His stomach began to twist again. He wasn't selfless enough for Abnegation, he wasn't good enough for his faction.

The look on his face must have told Liz exactly what he was thinking because she sat forward and pat Matthew's arm gently. "Just remember that even though it's not your aptitude result, you can still choose whatever you feel is right for you. If Abnegation is where you feel you belong, then that's where you should stay." She smiled warmly at him and stood up. Matthew followed suit and stood as well.

"I'd tell you to go back to the cafeteria, but we took a bit longer than expected. Your school day ended about 5 minutes ago, so you can just head straight home."

Matthew nodded and left the room, sparing one quick glance back at Liz who was still smiling and waved at him. He waved back and hurried to Alfred's locker, his mind running with thoughts of what he was going to do now.

* * *

"Matthew! There you are! What took you so long?" Alfred had taken the bus, which Matthew had missed by mere seconds, home figuring Matthew had left before him. When he got home and saw no on there, he had sat on the front step and waited for his brother to return.

Matthew smiled at him and shook his head, "Nothing really. I just missed the bus, so I had to walk." Alfred raised an eyebrow but didn't question further.

Once inside Alfred headed straight for the kitchen. It was his turn to make dinner. Their mother had made it the previous night, their father made breakfast and Matthew had packed their lunches. It was Abnegation routine to take turns cooking.

Regardless of the fact he didn't need to, Matthew followed Alfred and helped prepare the meal. They worked together in a comfortable silence, Matthew tried to busy himself so he wouldn't think about what decisions had to be made, but like weeds to a garden the thoughts continued to pop into his mind.

It didn't take long for their parents to get home, and Alfred finished setting the table just as they walked in.

Their mother came over and put her arms around both their shoulders, squeezing gently. "How'd the test go?"

"I think it went well," Alfred smiled at her, "I didn't know that's what it was gonna to be. I thought it was gonna be a written test."

She smiled at Alfred and then turned her head to Matthew, waiting for his answer. He just nodded and chirped a small, "Good." Then hurried to put the serving bowl of peas on the table.

Matthew pulled into his chair quickly and waited for everyone to sit. Once they were seated they passed the food around, until everyone was served. They all grabbed hands afterwards and their father gave thanks to the Lord for their food, friends, family and work. Matthew and Alfred had learned in school that not every Abnegation family was religious, but their father was so Matthew assumed that meant he should be too.

After that everyone started to eat. Matthew picked at his food, taking a bite here and there, but mainly listened quietly to his parents conversation.

"I had to deal with some of the Dauntless leaders today," their father commented, shaking his head. "An impossible bunch those ones. They're conducting the ceremony this year and it's been nothing but a hassle."

"Isn't it always?" Their mother asked. "They always want to do something special on their years."

"What are they trying to do?" Alfred cut in, looking at their father. Matthew looked at him with his eyebrows raised and eyes slightly wide. They weren't supposed to talk at the table unless their parents asked them a question directly. Their listening ears were a gift to their parents, his mother always said. And after dinner, in the family room their parents gave them their listening ears.

Tonight, Matthew knew he and Alfred wouldn't get a chance to speak with their parents in the family room. Tonight they were supposed to go straight to their rooms and think about their results. Tomorrow was a big day.

Their father didn't seem perturbed by Alfred's question and just stated, "This and that. Small things really, but they add up."

Alfred just raised an eyebrow and went back to eating.

When they were finished, their parents cleaned up the dishes. And Matthew and Alfred climbed the stairs in silence. At the top Alfred reached out and grabbed Matthew, pulling him into his room. Alfred put his finger to his lips to silence his brother and Matthew obeyed.

Alfred sat down at his desk and Matthew sat on his bed.

"I'm gonna ask you what your aptitude test results were," Alfred stated, "And I kinda really hope you tell me."

Matthew frowned and shook his head. They weren't supposed to discuss their results with their families. They were supposed to reflect upon the results and decide for themselves. And no matter how much Matthew thought talking with his family might help, he couldn't help but feel like a traitor for not having Abnegation as his result. "I can't, Alfred. It's against the rules."

Alfred groaned. "Fiiiiine." He flung himself back against his chair in mock exhaustion and didn't stop making overly exaggerated exasperated sighs until Matthew laughed.

"Are you nervous about tomorrow, Alfred?" Matthew asked when the laughter pittered out.

Alfred scrunched up his nose and shrugged. "Not really. I mean, you pick first so I'm just gonna pick whatever you do." Alfred grinned at him and laughed, "Just don't pick Amity. I don't think I could do the whole peaceful, singing, apple picking thing all the time."

Matthew felt his stomach drop but forced himself to nod and laugh. His brother didn't want him to pick the faction he got on the aptitude test.

The faction Matthew suited best and belonged in, Alfred didn't like.

As they laughed about how absolutely preposterous the idea of choosing Amity was, Matthew felt his heart twinge in pain. He had thought he decided he was picking Abnegation anyway, so why did it matter so much that Alfred didn't want to be Amity? He didn't want Erudite either, they discussed that before. But now, Matthew thought, things seemed different.

Everything was different.

* * *

Okay, it sucked. I know. I'm sorry.

I've written a few more chapters already, and the story gets better. Trust me! (At least, I think it gets better but maybe I'm biased because I'm writing it? I don't know! *sweats nervously*)

I had to make up the last part of the simulation because Tris didn't do anything close for what they would have for Amity. It says somewhere in the book that the Candor don't get along with Amity because they're willing to lie to keep the peace. So I just tried to make up a scenario where Matt had to lie to keep everyone calm. It was rushed and bad, sorry.

Oh, also. If there are any mistakes please send me a message and let me know! I will correct them right away! I edit my own stories like, 1200 times before I post them, but I always miss something. Don't be afraid to point an error out!

Thanks for everyone who followed/faved/reviewed my story!

Next chapter is the Choosing Ceremony! OOooooh, what will happen I wonder? (Just kidding, I know what will happen but you don't! You should review and follow and all those lovely things to find out *winku*)


	3. Chapter 3: Choosing Ceremony

Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia or the Divergent trilogy!

Please enjoy!

* * *

The bus to the Ceremony was packed full of people clad in gray clothing. Matthew stood with his family. His mother was sitting in the seat in front of them while the others held the safety bars to keep their balance on the bumpy road. Matthew watched the outside world fly past the windows wondering how all the other students felt.

It didn't take long to get to the Hub, the tallest building in the city. Matthew tried to look up at the top of it, but it was hidden amongst the clouds.

Matthew felt a hand slide into his and squeeze it, he looked to his side and found his mother smiling at him. It wasn't her usual smile; the playful, happy one. It was different, softer and more gentle. He felt a bit more comfortable for almost a second before a pang in his stomach made him feel worse. Would his mother still smile at him if he chose Amity?

"Your hands are shaking," she commented as she guided him into the Hub and over to the elevators, his father and brother just ahead of them.

"I don't feel well." Matthew murmured, hoping that his soft voice was drowned out by the chatter all around them. He glanced back at the entrance and watched a group of anxious looking Candor students light cigarettes. He didn't know anyone from Abnegation who smoked them, they were too closely tied with vanity.

The doors to the elevator opened and they stepped in, Alfred looked over at Matthew and smiled. His mother squeezed his hand again and Matthew tried to lose himself in the muffled noise, watching the numbered buttons light up as they passed each floor.

_2, 3, 4._ What if this was the last time he ever held his mothers hand? _6, 7, 8._ He squeezed back. _10, 11._ He was going to pick Abnegation and stay with his family. _13, 14._ He wanted to pick Amity. _15._ Alfred didn't want Amity. _16._ He wanted to stay with Alfred. _17._ He didn't want to be alone. _18._ He would pick Abnegation and they'd all stay together._ 19._ He wasn't selfless enough. He wasn't good enough. _20._ Abnegation.

The bell dinged and the doors slide open.

They left the elevator and entered a large room arranged in concentric circles. Around the edges stood the 16 year olds of every faction. They weren't considered members yet. Once they chose a faction, they would become initiates and if they completed initiation they would become members.

Alfred lead the way over to the line of students and they arranged themselves in alphabetical order, according to their last names. Matthew had Alfred on one side and a Candor student named Heracles Karpusi, dressed in casual black slacks with a white dress shirt, on the other. Matthew felt obscurely small, whether it was because of the big decision that weighed heavily on his shoulders or the fact Alfred and Hercules loomed over him in height, he didn't know.

Rows of chairs for their families made up the next circle, arranged in five sections by faction. Not everyone from the factions shows up, but enough to make a booming crowd. Matthew felt even more nervous. He was never good in front of an audience, even if he wasn't speaking.

The responsibility to conduct the ceremony rotated between the faction leaders each year. As their father told them previously, it was the Dauntless year to host. One of the Dauntless leaders, a handsome man named Francis Bonnefoy, would give the opening address then read their names in reverse alphabetical order.

Matthew watched more families enter with their children. Some he recognized from his classes. He let out a breath he didn't even know he had been holding.

In the last circle were 5 metal bowls so big Matthew figured they could hold a person in them; if they lay a certain way. Each of the bowls contained a substance that represented each faction: gray stones for Abnegation, water for Erudite, earth for Amity, lit coals for Dauntless, and glass for Candor.

Matthew ran the steps of what they had to do through his mind again. He had to wait until his name was called, after Heracles and before Alfred, then walk to the centre of the three circles. Not speaking. He didn't know why that was a rule, he didn't think he'd be able to mutter a single syllable in front of that many people regardless of the circumstances. Francis would hand him a knife and he would have to cut into his hand, just a slice across; enough to draw blood, and spill it into the bowl of the faction he chose.

The faction he was swearing himself to, that he would spill his blood for and potentially leave his family for.

Matthew jolted when he felt a hand clap his shoulder. He looked up, realizing he had been staring at the floor the entire time and found his father staring at him. His mother was hugging Alfred, whispering to him.

"Don't be nervous, Son. We'll see you and your brother soon enough!" His father grinned at him and then pat him on the head. His grin softened into a smile and he nodded his head. "I'm proud of you, Matthew." His father turned and went off to the seats.

Matthew stood there, unmoving. His father seemed so sure he and Alfred would choose Abnegation. Of course they would, Matthew reasoned, as much as he wanted to join Amity and their carefree, happy lives; he needed his family. He'd pick Abnegation and Alfred would pick what he did. They'd stay together as a family.

Matthew smiled as his mother turned and embraced him. And just as she had with Alfred, she turned her head and whispered to him, ever so quietly. "No matter what you choose, Matthew, your father and I love you. No matter what." He hugged her back. "You do what you have to do, okay? Think of yourself just this once." Her voice was calm and reassuring. She pulled out of the hug and gently held his face in her hands. "You pick whichever faction you feel you belong in, Matthew. I know it's hard, but you can do it." She leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the forehead before she turned and went to join their father.

Matthew felt like he was going to vomit. Why did his mother have to be so encouraging? He had finally decided to put his feelings aside and choose what was best for his family and Alfred. He couldn't think of himself at a time like this. He couldn't just pick Amity. Even if they were so friendly, and happy. Even if that was what his result was on the aptitude test. Even if he really wanted to. He shook his head to get rid of the thoughts, he was picking Abnegation and Alfred would too and they'd stay with their family.

Alfred leaned over closer to Matthew and smiled. "Don't worry, Matthew. Even if Mother said to think about ourselves, I'm gonna pick whatever you do. Because even if I can't be with Mother or Father, I wanna stay with you." He grabbed Matthew's hand and squeezed it. "We're brothers to the end, no matter what." He flashed his hero grin and released Matthew's hand, standing back in place again.

Matthew knew Alfred had said those words to comfort him but they didn't. Not at all. If anything Matthew thought he felt worse now.

Matthew stared at the lanterns across the room, listening as people slowly began to quiet down. The lanterns cast an odd blue glow all around them.

Francis stood at the podium between the Erudite and the Dauntless and cleared his throat into the microphone. The room became silent.

Matthew's heartbeat pounded in his chest and his ears. He could hardly hear over it, and he wondered if he would miss his name being called because of it. Then he realized no one was actually talking yet, the room was just settling. Francis was taking a dramatic pause.

He took a deep breath, in and out. His ears were ringing and he was shaking a bit. He wondered if he was going to faint. _Dear God_, he thought, _I hope not. That would be so embarrassing._

"Welcome," Francis said, "to the Choosing Ceremony. Welcome to the day we honour the democratic philosophy of our ancestors, which tells us that every man has the right to choose his own way in the world."

Matthew was trying to listen but the words sounded like a steady rumble, the only word he made out clearly was 'choose'. And he focused heavily on that word. _Choose_ Abnegation, _choose_ Amity, _choose_ your family, _choose_ yourself, _choose_ for Alfred, _choose_ for Matthew, _choosechoosechoosechoose_. The word didn't even sound right anymore.

"Our dependants are now sixteen. They stand on the precipice of adulthood, and it is now up to them to decide what kind of people they will be." Francis' voice was smooth and deep. Matthew focused in on him, rather than his words. They had similar hair, Matthew mused, his was shorter than Francis', whose hair went almost down to his shoulders but it was blond too. He was tall and elegant. The Dauntless clothing fit like a second skin. The black dress pants were cut straight and the top, a black button down, was slimming.

"Decades ago our ancestors realized that it is not political ideology, religious belief, race, or nationalism that is to blame for a warring world. Rather, they determined that it was the fault of human personality- of humankind's inclination toward evil, in whatever form that is. They divided into factions that sought to eradicate those qualities they believed responsible for the world's disarray."

Matthew realized the ringing in his ears wasn't there any more and tried to focus on what Francis was saying. But his mind wandered and his gaze fell on the Amity, he remembered the girls from the aptitude test and their rhyming word song, then he imagined them singing a different one- just for him.

_"Matthew joined the Amity,_  
_Causing a calamity._  
_His parents mad,_  
_Alfred's sad._  
_Matthew joined the Amity!"_

Matthew snorted quietly, that was actually pretty good for something he made up on the spot. Maybe he should join them. Heracles glanced at him, an eyebrow raised curiously.

"Those who blamed aggression form Amity." The Amity smiled at one another. Matthew wanted to smile with them but he didn't. He stood there, still and quiet. Kind, loving and free they were. He wanted to join them.

"Those who blamed ignorance became the Erudite." Matthew knew he and Alfred weren't smart or studious enough.

"Those who blamed duplicity created Candor." Matthew remembered the time Alfred broke a table and blamed him. All the times he lied about having homework or not failing a test. They could never be Candor.

"Those who blamed selfishness made Abnegation." Matthew knew he wasn't selfless enough, he knew from the aptitude test. He wanted so badly to belong with them, with his family. But he was selfish.

"Those who blamed cowardice were the Dauntless." Matthew wasn't brave enough for Dauntless, they weren't scared of anything. And he was.

"Working together, these five factions have lived in peace for many years, each contributing to a different sector of society. Abnegation has fulfilled our need for selfless leaders in government; Candor has provided us with trustworthy and sound leaders in law; Erudite has supplied us with intelligent teachers and researchers; Amity has given us understanding counsellors and caretakers; and Dauntless provides us with protection from threats both within and without. But the reach of each faction is not limited to these areas. We give one another far more than can be adequately summarized. In our factions we find meaning, we find purpose, we find life." Francis' voice was calm and relaxed, but he gave the words the feeling they needed.

"Apart from them, we would not survive."

Francis' last words hung in the air and the room felt heavy again. If you didn't belong in a faction, you were factionless. It was a fate worse than death, their teachers at school had told them.

Matthew glanced down the line of 16 year olds. At the end was a guy named Vash Zwingli. He'd have to choose first. He was an Erudite, Matthew had a few classes with him before. He wondered if Vash was going to switch factions and if he was anxious about going first.

"Therefore this day marks a happy occasion- the day on which we receive our new initiates who will work with us toward a better society and a better world."

People started clapping, the Dauntless yelled and cheered.

Matthew waited for Francis to call the first name-Vash Zwingli-, but instead Francis waited for everyone to quiet down again. Then a small half smile appeared on his face. "This year," Francis stated, "we have decided to change the order. We will be calling names alphabetically rather than reverse."

A long silence followed and Matthew felt his chest well with relief. He didn't have to choose first! Alfred had to! He felt a thousand pounds lighter. He stole a glance at Alfred whose jaw had gone slack. The colour had drained from his face and Matthew could practically see the gears in his head moving overtime as he realized what his meant for him.

Alfred slowly looked over at Matthew, his eyes wide. For a reason he couldn't explain, Matthew felt a pang of anger towards Alfred. It was been up to him before, and Alfred hadn't cared how he felt about making that decision but now that he had to make it himself, he knew that it felt terrible.

Matthew blanked out as Francis began calling the names. He looked back at his parents, who smiled at him. He smiled back. The first student, an Erudite, chose the faction he came from. Matthew watched his blood spill into the water. A few more names were called but Matthew largely ignored them, listening only when someone he knew from his classes was classed.

"Ivan Braginsky."

Ivan was a very tall student Matthew had tried to avoid all the time. He was a Candor student and used honesty as an excuse to be rude. He casually strolled to the centre of the room, took the offered knife from Francis and without a moments hesitation cut his palm and held it over the Dauntless bowl, letting his blood drop onto the lit coals. Matthew grimaced when he heard it sizzle. At least he'd never have to deal with Ivan again, he thought.

The Dauntless exchanged looks of smug happiness, smiles and claps. The Candor frowned and murmured disapprovingly. They would probably see him as a traitor, as it usually was when someone left their faction for another. His family would get the chance to see him on Visiting Day, a week and a half after the ceremony, but they probably wouldn't. He was given a choice and he had chosen to leave his family. His loved ones.

Matthew glanced at Alfred. He was still pale and his hands were shaking. Matthew felt terrible for feeling relief at not having to decide. But he knew Alfred, he would pick Abnegation and then Matthew would do what Alfred said he was going to do. Pick the same one. Their roles were just reversed now. Alfred would choose and Matthew would follow him loyally.

Matthew reached over and grabbed Alfred's hand, squeezing it encouragingly. Trying to send him positive encouragement, but all too quickly the line was dwindling and before they knew it the girl ahead of Alfred was walking to the centre of the circles. She chose her original faction.

"Alfred Jones."

Matthew watched as Alfred gave his hand one last squeeze and swallowed thickly before making his way to the centre of the circles. Francis held the knife out to Alfred and he grabbed it.

Time seemed to slow down as Matthew held his breath in anticipation. Alfred licked his lips and looked at the bowls.

Matthew flinched as Alfred dragged the knife across his palm and let the blood begin to pool. Then, without a second thought or an ounce of hesitation, Alfred thrust his hand over a bowl and let the blood slip into it.

Matthew felt his heart stop, the faction Alfred chose clapped and cheered and Alfred smiled as he went and stood behind them with the other faction transfers. Matthew's eyes followed him the whole time. The sound of Alfred's blood sizzling in the Dauntless coals was the only sound Matthew heard as he focused on the feeling boiling inside him.

Alfred had left their parents. Alfred had left him. Alfred had chosen to think of himself in that moment. If Matthew had gone first they would both be Abnegation. Matthew felt anger well up inside him as Alfred smiled at the other transfers. He had been willing to give up the faction he wanted to be in, the one he belonged in. Yet Alfred had been selfish enough to choose what he wanted.

Matthew didn't know why but he felt slightly betrayed, as though Alfred picking Dauntless was a sign of him betraying their family.

And then suddenly Alfred was staring back at Matthew, a wild look of realization dawned on him. Matthew watched as Alfred opened his mouth and closed it. Then opened it again and shook his head slightly. A silent apology.

Matthew was brought back to attention when he felt a hand nudge him from behind. He glanced behind him and saw Heracles give him a curious look before tilting his chin toward the bowls. Matthew looked over and realized Francis was staring at him. A look to the crowd told him that everyone was. Francis must have called him name. Matthew's cheeks began to burn as Francis called him name again.

"Matthew Jones."

Matthew walked over, trying to look casual and not as embarrassed as he was, but he felt stiff and awkward. Francis had an amused smile playing on his lips as he held out the knife, Matthew looked at him for a moment before reaching over for it.

Gripping the knife tightly he spared another look at Francis. The Dauntless leader winked and Matthew felt himself redden in surprise.

He turned quickly and stood at the centre of the bowls. His eyes searched the crowd and landed on his parents. His mother was holding his father's arm and she smiled at him softly, nodding her head. His father had his jaw clenched and his eyebrows furrowed. He wasn't happy with Alfred's decision.

He looked over to the Dauntless section and found Alfred's eyes, pleading and worried; trying to convey a message that Matthew couldn't understand.

Matthew took a deep breath and gripped the knife, putting the blade against his palm. His hands were shaking. Biting his lip he applied as much pressure as he could stand against his soft skin and pulled the knife across it in one fast motion. Blood dripped instantaneously from his hand onto the already spotted ground.

His mind reeled. _Choose Abnegation_, a deep voice roared in his mind,_ stay with your parents_. Alfred had always been the favourite anyway. _Choose Amity_, a soft voice countered, _it's where you belong_. He would be alone. _Choose Dauntless_, a familiar voice demanded, _stay with your brother_. Matthew wouldn't survive a day in Dauntless.

Matthew couldn't stand the thought of being alone, without any of his loved ones. Alfred had wanted them to stay together too. His parents had each other and always would.

Quickly he thrust his blood soaked hand over a bowl and let the room fill with the sizzling sound of his choice.

Matthew felt like he was in a daze as he walked over to the Dauntless section, blood still slowly dripping from his finger tips. He didn't register the sounds of them clapping and cheering at the new realization. For the first time ever, they had received two transfer initiates in a row. Siblings. A matching set.

An angry cry broke through the haze Matthew had been in. He didn't need to look around to find the source of the noise. He recognized the voice instantly, even as it continued to yell. Their father was clearly none to pleased with having both his sons switch factions.

His father stopped yelling once Matthew reached the other Dauntless transfers and stood in his spot beside Alfred. They said nothing to each other and focused on the ceremony. Matthew attempted to watch, but the Dauntless born initiates were taller than him and blocked his view almost completely.

* * *

Francis' speech is taken right from the book. The exact one Marcus gives. I take no credit for it what-so-ever. Just so we're all clear!

Editing takes so long, omg. I spent like 47 years re-reading this. Spell check is my saviour.

Thanks to all you cool cats who faved/followed/reviewed!

As always if you see any mistakes lemme know and I'll fix 'em!


	4. Chapter 4: Arrival

Finally an update! Hello everyone! Sorry this wasn't posted sooner but I got stumped with the ending of this chapter and ignored it for a long time. Updates probably won't be very fast from here on out because I don't have internet at home but whatever.

We're finally moving places in the story! Huzzah!

(Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Hetalia or Divergent.)

Enjoy!

* * *

Matthew zoned out for the rest of the ceremony. He kept his head down and didn't even look at Alfred who stood stock-still beside him. The ceremony seemed to fly by in a flurry. The last boy-Vash- made his decision to switch to Amity and then it was over.

Matthew moved with the other faction transfers, the Dauntless were always the first to leave. They left the room and the sound of laughter and cheers followed them. The Dauntless ran down the stairwell, all 20 flights, banging the metal railings and screaming. Matthew wasn't used to running that much, only what he had to do for his physical education class. As they shot through the doors to the outside, Matthew felt like his throat and his lungs were burning and raw.

They didn't stop once they were out of the Hub, instead they continued running, full speed. Matthew kept pace with the others, though his muscles screamed in protest. They raced across the street, not even bothering to look for oncoming vehicles, a bus barely stopped in time.

To keep his mind from the burn of his muscles and the ache of his lungs, Matthew let his thoughts take over. He couldn't believe he was here, with the Dauntless, running to God only knows where.

They went down the street and turned a corner. Once they rounded the corner Matthew realized what was happening.

"Shit," An Erudite boy with huge eyebrows muttered. The sound of a train horn echoed and Matthew felt his heart stop. Of course they would travel by the trains, he should have known.

The Dauntless crowded by the tracks and began to spread themselves out in a long line. The train approached quickly, the lights flashed blindingly. Matthew could tell all the doors on each car were open, waiting for the Dauntless to jump in.

The Dauntless born initiates hopped into the first few open cars easily, leaving the transfers behind. Matthew panicked, doubting he was fast or strong enough to jump on to a moving train.

Alfred moved behind him, placing his hand between Matthew's shoulder blades. He leaned close to Matthew's ear and hurriedly began to explain. "Jog beside the car, any open one, and then grab the handle. Lift yourself in with that. I'm right behind you, bro!"

Matthew didn't have time to look behind him at his brother, Alfred gave him a shove and he started moving, trying to keep pace beside the train. The rattle of the tracks was deafening. Quickly Matthew grabbed the handle and threw himself toward the open door of the car. As he moved he could feel Alfred's hands on his hips, heaving him up.

Matthew landed roughly on his hands and knees, he crawled out of the doorway and sat against the wall. Seconds later Alfred jumped into the car landing on his feet with hardly any difficulty, he leaned against the open doorway and held a hand out, helping the Erudite boy into the car.

Alfred's eyes quickly found Matthew and he moved to sit beside him. They didn't speak. Matthew listened to the sound of the wind howling into the open car. The train was picking up speed. The force of the wind rushing through the car was too much to stand against, so the other transfers sat down as well.

Matthew wondered how many of them had made it onto the train. He didn't think anyone was left behind but he didn't know who ended up in other cars.

Beside him Alfred rubbed his face with his hands. Matthew wanted to talk to him, but somehow he couldn't bring himself to speak. Instead he turned his head away and watched as the sun slowly made it's way toward the horizon.

Some of the others were talking amongst themselves, those who had been in the same factions and knew one another but Matthew couldn't hear them over the gusting wind.

* * *

Matthew's body ached from sitting against the hardwood of the train for so long. He tilted his head from side to side, popping his neck. Beside him Alfred was resting his head on his knees. Matthew wondered if he had fallen asleep, but Alfred jarred himself up when a voice from the door gave a shout.

"They're jumping off!"

The train had slowed down considerably in the past minute and Matthew had sat up wondering if they were going to stop soon. But the Dauntless wouldn't do something as simple as that. They would jump off a moving train.

Matthew stood up and moved to the door with the other transfers. A horrible sense of nausea hit him when he looked out. They were jumping off the train onto a rooftop of a building that was 7 stories high. One slip up, Matthew realized, could be fatal.

The Dauntless in the cars ahead of them were jumping through the air and landing on the building roof.

"This is fucking crazy!" A Candor boy yelled over the wind. "We could die!"

No one responded as they stood in a line, preparing to jump. Matthew ignored the other voices, the people yelling they couldn't do it and focused on the roof.

Matthew felt Alfred's hand slide into his, gripping it tightly. "We'll jump together." He stated, keeping his eyes focused on the roof.

Before Matthew had a chance to respond, Alfred was getting in to a jumping stance. "Ready? 3... 2..." Matthew bent his knees and tensed his body. "1... Jump!"

Alfred tugged Matthew's hand as they shot out of the train door and flew through the air. Matthew felt like his stomach was going to shoot out his mouth as they plummeted downwards.

He landed hard on his side and rolled onto his stomach, Alfred landed sprawled on top of him. Matthew kept his eyes shut tight before cracking one open and glancing around, scared he might be dead.

He looked around amazed, they had landed on the roof relatively unhurt. Alfred gave an airy relieved laugh. And soon enough everyone was laughing with him, relief evident in their shaky voices. Even the Dauntless born initiates and members laughed.

Matthew picked himself up and brushed the dirt from his elbows. His left side stung from landing and his cut palm from earlier throbbed painfully. Alfred stood and pat Matthew on the back, the tension from earlier somehow seemed to lessen. Matthew gave him a small smile.

The Erudite boy with bushy eyebrows was brushing bits of gravel off his face and had a small scrape on his cheek. A rough landing but he made it, something he was clearly happy about.

The Candor boy, with brown hair and a strange piece that stuck out near the side who had yelled earlier, had a smug look of satisfaction on his face though his eyes were wide and his hands were shaking. Matthew figured he must have landed on his feet.

Matthew glanced over the ledge and grimaced. No one would have survived had they fallen that far. The thought made him shudder.

A loud, sharp whistle caught everyone's attention.

"Listen up!" A tall man with blond hair that stuck up in every direction called out. "My name is Mathias and I'm one of the three Dauntless leaders."

Mathias stood on the other side of the roof, on the ledge overlooking the crowd.

"Several stories below us is the members' entrance to our compound. If you can't muster the will to jump off, you don't belong here. Our initiates have the privilege of going first." A huge grin was plastered to Mathias's face as he explained.

"Wait, what? You expect us to jump off a ledge?" A boy with slanted eyes and black hair asked.

Mathias looked amused as he nodded his head in confirmation.

"What's at the bottom?" The brunette Candor transfer asked.

"Who knows?" Mathias responded, crossing his arms and cocking his head to the side.

The crowd of Dauntless members parted down the middle, leaving all the initiates standing awkwardly together. No one looked eager to jump, even the Dauntless borns seemed to be slightly taken aback by what Mathias told them.

Matthew was suddenly shoved forward from the group.

"Ladies first." A deep voice, belonging to none other than Ivan Braginski stated.

Laughter spread amongst the crowd and Matthew felt his cheeks reddening with embarrassment. He recalled earlier in the evening when he had been relieved by the thought that he'd never have to deal with Ivan again. _So much for that,_ he thought bitterly.

Alfred glared at Ivan and pulled away from the group, walking over to the ledge. Mathias moved out of his way and Alfred looked over the edge.

"I'll go first." Alfred said as casually as if he were just talking about the weather.

"Be my guest." Mathias stated, his eyebrows raised.

Alfred turned and walked back past the group, they moved aside and watched in silence. Alfred tugged off his grey Abnegation jacket and tossed it on the ground. Someone wolf whistled, but Alfred didn't look back. He popped his knuckles and got ready to take a running start.

"Alfred..." Matthew started, turning away from the ledge and toward his brother. Before he could talk his brother out of going first Alfred was running, but rather than towards the ledge he ran straight at Matthew.

Matthew didn't have time to process what Alfred was doing before his brother's shoulder caught him in the stomach and he was being hauled like a sack of potatoes into the air and over Alfred's shoulder.

"Alfred!" Matthew cried out in surprise but it was to late to stop him. The air rushed against them as Matthew felt Alfred leap up on to the ledge and without a second thought or an ounce of hesitation he threw himself and Matthew over the edge.

Matthew's last sight, before the rush of air and fear caused him to close his eyes, was of the shocked and surprised expressions of those still crowded on the roof.

The sensation of falling dragged throughout Matthew's stomach and he tensed his muscles, unsure of what they might land in or on, if they didn't splatter on the ground. He would have screamed in horror but his throat was clenched too tightly with fear.

Suddenly they were consumed by darkness, and Matthew landed against something hard. It gave way beneath them and cradled their bodies. Alfred landed on top of Matthew, his shoulder crushed all the air out of his lungs and Matthew gasped loudly.

They didn't move for a moment, Alfred because of the shock and relief and Matthew because he was winded and stuck beneath his brother. Matthew could see the top of the building from where he was and he nearly laughed. They had a net at the bottom. It had been a scare tactic the entire time. He should have known.

Alfred laughed loudly and rolled off Matthew. Hands were reaching towards them to pull them back onto solid ground. Alfred grabbed one and disappeared over the side. Matthew crawled across the net to the spot where Alfred disappeared. Suddenly a hand was thrust into his face and Matthew blindly grabbed it and pulled himself over the edge, nearly landing face first on the wood floor.

A firm hand on his shoulder steadied him. Alfred stood grinning beside the man who had pulled them both off the net.

"Th-thank you." Matthew stuttered quietly, then mentally chided himself for it. He used to stutter a lot as a child and had to take speech therapy for it. Sometimes it still escaped when he was nervous or scared. It had often been during presentations in class. Matthew made a mental note that he would now have to focus on speaking properly because he knew it would be nothing but fear and nerves in the Dauntless compound.

The man beside Alfred, with near white hair and eyes that appeared almost red in the barely lit room said nothing as they looked around.

They stood on a platform roughly 10 feet above the ground. Around them was an open cavern.

The man smirked at them as he took in the sight. "I'll be damned. Two Stiff's, the first to jump? Can't say I've ever seen that before."

Matthew could see tattoo's lacing up and down his pale arms, disappearing into the sleeves of his black t-shirt, the dark lines intertwined in intricate designs.

"Don't call them that, Gilly. They left Abnegation for a reason." A familiar female voice said from behind them. Matthew turned and was surprised to find Elizabeta, the woman who had done his aptitude test, standing there.

"Liz!" He exclaimed, smiling at her.

Her eyes widened when she recognized him and her mouth hung open for a minute before she clamped it shut and forced a smile back. "Nice to see you again."

"What are your names?" The man asked. Matthew turned back and locked eyes with him. Alfred responded first.

"My name's Alfred and this is my little brother Matthew."

The man looked at Alfred with narrowed eyes then turned his gaze to Matthew. "Is that right?" He asked curiously.

Matthew nodded his head.

Elizabeta placed her hand on Matthew's shoulder and smiled. "Make the announcement, Gil!"

The man-Gil- turned and shouted towards the darkened room. "First jumper-Alfred and Matthew!"

Loud cheers broke out and as Matthew's eyes adjusted he saw a crowd emerge from the darkness. Alfred grinned proudly and soaked up the attention.

A form dropped through the roof and landed in the net with a scream. It was the Erudite boy from earlier and everyone was laughing and reaching to help him out of the net.

Alfred quickly made his way over to help as well. Matthew felt Elizabeta squeeze his shoulder and he glanced over at her. She said something quietly but Matthew couldn't hear her over the sound of the cheering Dauntless crowd. Before he could ask her to repeat herself, she nodded her head and went over to the net. Matthew furrowed his brow and hoped it wasn't important.

Matthew felt a hand being placed on his back and he turned, Gil was leaning down, his face close Matthew's.

"Welcome to Dauntless, Stiff." He said with a growing animalistic grin.

* * *

Once all the initiates had jumped and were standing on solid ground again, Gil and Elizabeta lead them down a narrow tunnel. The walls were made of stone and the ceiling sloped. Matthew focused on each dim-light as they went by them, trying not to stumbled in the darkness between the long intervals.

The group stopped moving suddenly, and Matthew felt someone bump into him from behind.

"Alright," Elizabeta chirped, "This is where we split! Dauntless-born initiates come with me! I'm sure none of you need a tour of the place you grew up in."

The group split up, the eight Dauntless born initiates left. Seven people stood amongst the faction transfers. Matthew only knew Alfred and Ivan. His brother, who he was having conflicting feelings about and the person who took every opportunity to pick on him. _Fantastic,_ he thought.

There were three Candor transfers, one being Ivan. The other was the brunette boy with a strand that stuck out and a dark skinned boy with short dreadlocks held in a ponytail. There were two Erudite transfers, the one from earlier with messy blond hair, huge eyebrows and striking green eyes. The other was a boy with slanted eyes and dark hair who was fidgeting with his hands and practically bouncing as he moved.

Alfred and Matthew were the only Abnegation transfers. There were none from Amity. Matthew felt a pang of sadness resound through his chest, wondering briefly what the Amity initiation consisted of.

"Alright." Gil stated loudly, grabbing everyones attention. "My name is Gilbert and for the next few weeks, I'm gonna be your instructor. You will do what I tell you to do, when I tell you to do it. With no complaints. Any problems with that?"

Gilberts eyes suddenly locked with Matthews and he felt his face beginning to heat up. Matthew quickly shook his head.

"Good." Gilbert smirked. "We're about to go into the Pit, which you will one day love."

"The Pit?" The brunette Candor boy asked with a sneer.

Gilbert shot him a dirty look but otherwise ignored the comment and turned away, walking toward the shadow at the end of the tunnel. The group of transfers followed after him in silence.

At the end of the tunnel Gilbert pushed a set of double doors open and they all moved through the open doorway.

"Oh." The Candor transfer muttered. The name suddenly made sense to everyone.

The Pit was quite literally an underground cavern, from where Matthew stood at the bottom, he couldn't see the other side. Rigid rockwalls rose serveral stories high above their heads. Built into the walls were places for food, clothing, supplies and leisurely activities. Narrow paths and steps carved from rock connected them. There were no barriers or railings to keep people from falling over the side.

Across one wall was a slant of orange light, the roof of the pit was formed of panes of glass and above them was a building that let in the sunlight.

Blue lanterns hung at random intervals over the stone steps, like the ones Matthew had been staring at during the Choosing Ceremony. The lanterns grew brighter as the sunlight dissipated.

Matthew looked around in amazement. He had never seen a place like the Pit. People were everywhere, all dressed in black, laughing, talking, shouting. They were expressive and loud. Children ran around the narrow steps laughing. The place was chaos and Matthew didn't know how to react. In his old faction everyone had walked in a straight line, they greeted one another with inclined heads or small smiles.

Matthew bit his lip and furrowed his brow, he had never been anywhere as noisy as the Dauntless compound. He didn't feel comfortable, he felt like he was only visiting and soon, rather staying here, he would be returning home to his own bed. A sudden lump formed in Matthew's throat when he realized he'd never be sleeping in his bed at home again. Almost as if on cue for a distraction, Gilbert caught their attention again.

"Now I'm going to show you the chasm." As Gilbert turned and lead them off, Matthew found himself at the back of the group rather than where he originally stood at the front.

Gilbert lead them off to the right side of the Pit, which was conspicuously dark. As they approached Matthew realized the ground ended at an iron barrier. The closer they moved to the barrier the more the sound and view came into focus. It was a roar of fast rushing water hitting rock.

Matthew stepped around the dark skinned transfer with the dreaded ponytail and looked over the railing. Several stories below them was a rushing river. Water hit the wall beneath Matthew and sprayed up. Towards the left the water was calmer, but to the right it was a white fury, hitting the rocks.

"The chasm reminds us that there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy!" Gilbert shouted over the roar of the water against the rocks. "A daredevil jump off this ledge will end your life. It has happened before and it will happen again. You've been warned!"

Gilbert turned and lead the group away from the chasm, across the Pit and toward a gaping hole in the wall. The room was well-lit and Matthew could see inside it clearly. A dining hall full of people and the sound of clattering silverware. When they entered the room, the Dauntless inside stood up; they applauded, they stomped their feet, they shouted. The noise filled the entire room. It was so loud Matthew thought he could feel it reverberating through his chest.

Matthew spared a look at the others. Alfred had a huge grin on his face as he gazed around, they others laughed and smiled along.

It took Matthew only a moment to realize he wasn't smiling or grinning along with them. He was watching them with a bit of curiosity. They all seemed to enjoy the noise, allowing it to flow through them and get them excited. Matthew tried to shut the sounds out.

He looked up and locked eyes with Gilbert who was watching him with an eyebrow raised. Matthew forced a grin and a small laugh.

Matthew turned his head away from Gilbert and let the other transfers see his grin, no matter how forced it appeared. He turned away afterwards, looking around the room.

The rock walls, the tables down the sides of the room. This place was foreign to Matthew and he knew he didn't belong. No matter how much the Dauntless cheered for them, he knew he wasn't one of them.

They all broke away, looking for a place to sit. Matthew found an almost empty table and sat down. Mere seconds passed before Alfred slid into the seat beside him. Some of the other transfers sat with them. Gilbert grabbed a seat across from Alfred and Elizabeta slid in beside him, across from Matthew.

Matthew was biting his lip as he stared at the food platter that sat in the middle of the table. Circular pieces of meat wedged between round slices of bread.

"They're hamburgers." Matthew looked up at Alfred as though he had been the one to speak before letting his eyes fall on the Erudite transfer with large eyebrows. He cocked his head to the side as he looked at them. "They're beef. Have you never had them before?"

"No." Alfred stated, picking one up. Instinctively Matthew mimicked Alfred and took one too.

Gilbert slid a small bowl with red sauce in it across to them. "Put this on it, it tastes better."

"Holy shit," Alfred groaned after his first bite. "This is so delicious! Where has this been my whole life?! Ugh." He all but stuffed the rest in his mouth before grabbing another as the others laughed at his antics.

Matthew took a small bite from his but wasn't feeling very hungry. He nibbled at it every so often, listening to the conversations around him.

"My name's Alfred." Alfred looked at the Erudite transfer expectantly, who swallowed his food before answering.

"Arthur Kirkland. Pleasure to meet you." He stated before he turned his head to Matthew who was picking at the bread around his burger. When Matthew didn't speak up he added, "And your name is...?"

"That's my brother Matthew." Alfred interrupted. Matthew glanced up at him and then at Arthur before nodding in confirmation.

"Ah," Arthur nodded back, "Nice to meet you as well."

Matthew sipped a glass of water and looked around. There had been many kinds of drinks on the table, but Matthew had stuck with what he had always known.

Suddenly people began to cheer, Matthew glanced around and saw three men stroll into the dining hall. He recognized two of them instantly, Francis who had spoken at the ceremony and Mathias who had met them on the rooftop. Matthew looked at the third man who was handsome, tall and tan with short wavy brown hair and green eyes, but he didn't know who he was. They glanced around the room before heading straight towards the table Matthew was sitting at.

When they reached it Mathias stole the seat beside Matthew and the others stood, leaning over the side.

"Gilbert!" Francis grinned, "There you are! We've been looking for you."

Gilbert raised his eyebrows and sat back. "You know I had to show around the transfers. That's kind of part of being an instructor." As if to emphasize his point Gilbert waved a hand at the initiates. Matthew nervously sipped his drink again and averted his eyes but his tactic for going unnoticed seemed to fail as Mathias leaned close to him and grinned.

"Hey! Aren't you the first jumpers?"

Alfred practically beamed as he nodded, "Yeah! Me and Matt jumped first together."

Mathias laughed and sat back. "Seems more like you took him with you then going together."

Alfred shrugged. "Same thing."

The other man, who Matthew assumed was the third leader of Dauntless, raised his eyebrows and looked between them with surprise. "I heard about that! Everyone was talking about it."

"Indeed, Antonio." Francis said suddenly, catching Matthew's attention. He looked over to find Francis watching him and Alfred, gazing between them. "It's quite interesting, isn't it? Having siblings both choose Dauntless, Stiffs originally none the less." Francis cocked his head to the side and regarded them quietly as Antonio began to speak.

"Yeah, yeah! That's a first, right? I wonder how long they'll last." Antonio smirked down at them playfully, but Matthew felt something less than friendly pass through the look and shifted uncomfortably.

"We want to speak with you and Elizabeta." Francis stated, turning his attention to Gilbert who nodded in response.

Elizabeta nodded her head as well. She had been watching the entire ordeal quietly from her seat beside Gilbert.

"Right now," Francis stated impatiently, turning and leaving. Without a word, Mathias and Antonio joined him.

Elizabeta spared a glance at Gilbert who gave a small shrug and rose from the table.

Matthew watched as the five of them exited the room without looking back.

"Well," Arthur cleared his throat, grabbing his attention. "That was... Uncomfortable."

Matthew nodded his head in agreement, turning his attention back to the barely touched burger in front of him.

* * *

Just as everyone was finishing their meal, Antonio waltzed back into the room and over to their table, beaming.

"Hey!" He greeted, giving them a wide-toothed grin. "You guys are coming with me now, okay? So get up! Let's go!"

Not bothering to wait for them to finish, Antonio spun on his heels and began walking away at a brisk pace.

Matthew quickly pushed away from the table and sprinted to keep up with the Dauntless leader. The other initiates following close behind.

They hurried down a maze of dark hallways, the only lights were the lanterns at the end of each long passage. Matthew stumbled more than once and based on the steady stream of quiet curses coming from behind him, the brunette Candor transfer wasn't faring much better than he was.

The rest of the transfers remained silent, watching the Dauntless' leader's back cautiously. Matthew wasn't sure what it was but something about the cheery attitude Antonio displayed seemed fake and forced. He wondered if the other transfers thought the same thing.

Suddenly Antonio stopped in front of a large wooden door. He turned back to the group and smiled brightly in the dim lighting. Matthew shifted awkwardly as the other initiates crowded around the leader. He didn't like being so closely packed with others.

"I met a few of you earlier this evening but I didn't speak to many of you. I'm Antonio, one of the three leaders of Dauntless. Your instructor, Gilbert, had some business to take care of so I offered to finish up your tour." Antonio leaned back against the door and rubbed his jaw.

"First things first! We have some ground rules," He said. "You have to be in the training room by eight o'clock every morning. Training takes place everyday from eight to six, with a break for lunch. You are free to do whatever you like after six. You will also get sometime off between each stage of initiation."

Matthew shifted his weight from foot to foot, biting his fingernails as Antonio continued.

"You are only permitted to leave the compound when accompanied by a Dauntless. We don't have a ton of rules, so it's best if you just abide by the few we do have."

Antonio waved his hand at the wooden door. "Behind this door is the room where you will be sleeping for the next few weeks. There are ten beds and only seven of you, we expected a higher number of transfers."

Antonio pursed his lips as he looked at each of them in turn. Matthew pulled his hand away from his mouth quickly and averted his eyes when Antonio's gaze fell on him but just as quickly as it had with the others, it moved on to the rest of the initiates.

"Actually, we also expected at least one female transfer but there doesn't seem to be any this year."

Matthew braced himself, preparing for the insult from Ivan who always seemed to grab an opportunity to mock him and his slender physique. But much to his surprise, the large Candor transfer remained silent.

"Anyway," Antonio said. "In the first stage of initiation, we keep transfers and Dauntless-born initiates separate, but that doesn't mean you are evaluated separately. At the end of initiation your rankings will be determined in comparison with the Dauntless-born initiates. And they have an advantage against you because they're already better than you."

Antonio opened his mouth to continue but was cut off by the Erudite transfer with slanted eyes.

"Wait! Rankings? Why are we being ranked?" He asked.

Antonio gave an ominous smile and crossed his arms. "Your ranking serves two purposes. The first is that it will determine the order in which you will select a job after initiation. There are only a few _desirable_ jobs available."

Matthew felt nauseous at the thought of being ranked against the Dauntless-born initiates. He barely stood a chance against the other transfers, let alone the Dauntless-borns as well. Something about the way Antonio was smiling like 'the cat that caught the canary,' as his mother would say, made Matthew feel sick.

"The second reason," Antonio said, "is because only the top ten initiates are made members."

Matthew felt bile rise in his throat. The words seem to hang in the air as everyone stood stock still.

Alfred was the first to break the shocked silence, choking out a surprised, "what?"

"There are eight Dauntless-borns, and seven of you." Antonio explained. "Four initiates will be cut at the end of stage one. The remainder will be cut after the final stage."

Matthew froze, unable to absorb the information. They were going to cut five initiates. Amongst the smallest of the transfers and being from Abnegation left him at a large disadvantage.

A sickening thought occurred to Matthew as the silence dragged on, the odds that he would make it through initiation were so low that it was likely he wasn't going to be made a member.

"Wh-what," Matthew stuttered out suddenly, before he could stop himself. "What happens if you... If you get cut?"

Antonio cocked his head to the side and smiled with amusement. "You leave the Dauntless compound and live factionless."

"Holy shit." Alfred gasped, his eyes wide as he stared at Antonio.

Matthew glared down at the ground, a cold chill settled in his body. The other transfers, to his small relief, seemed just as horrified by this as he was.

"That's not fair!" The brunette Candor transfer snapped, stepping forward. "How were we supposed to know-"

"Are you saying that if you had known this before the Choosing Ceremony, you wouldn't have chosen Dauntless?" Antonio snapped, stepping up to the Candor transfer and glaring down at him. "Because if that's the case, you should get out now. If you really are one of us, it won't matter to you that you might fail. And if it does, you are a coward."

Antonio stepped away from the transfer and pushed the door to the dormitory open. "You chose us," he said. "Now we have to choose you."

* * *

Matthew lay in bed, his cheek pressed firmly against the pillow. He listened to the sound of the other initiates breathing.

Matthew wanted to reach out and find Alfred's bunk among the others. He wanted to find comfort from his brother, have Alfred reassure him that they would make it through initiation no problem. Alfred had always been a good liar.

But Alfred hadn't even looked at him once since Antonio had left them at the dorm. He had just quickly changed into the clothing the Dauntless had given them and gone to bed.

Matthew let out a small breath and slid his hand under his pillow, pulling it down and close to his chest. _I'm going to be factionless,_ Matthew thought, _and I'm going to be family-less. I should have chosen Amity._

Matthew clenched his jaw at the thought. He could easily have been in the Amity compound, making friends and singing songs but instead he was laying in the cold Dauntless dormitory. He had chosen Dauntless specifically to be with his brother who wasn't even speaking to him now.

Matthew hugged his pillow tightly, burying his face in it. He didn't know what the Dauntless initiation consisted of but knowing the Dauntless and what they had already been through it wasn't going to be easy. He would try his best, put forth his strongest effort. Even if he didn't make it through initiation, he would try his hardest.

The worst part, Matthew thought, was that his parent's would be so disappointed in him for not only choosing a faction he didn't want to be in at all but also for getting cut and becoming faction-less.

* * *

Editing takes 1200 hours, I swear (not really but it's a hassle).

A few bits of conversation or description were taken from the book.

So, who do you think the other initiates are? They'll be introduced to Mattie in the next chapter, I'm sure.

I was thinking of making chapter 5 something special, like maybe having a few bits from other people's POV or something.

I had something else to put here, but I forgot what it was!

Feel free to send me a message with any questions or comments, if you have advice I'm all ears! Just please be nice about it, there's no reason to be a butt!

See you later!


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